His comments were flippant, but there’s still a decent amount of information we can infer from Aurelio De Laurentiis’s quotes. Published in Marca today, the Napoli owner implied a deadline for Edinson Cavani’s potential move from Naples, though given the language of his quotes (“I’ll rip his head off,” he said laughing), it’s hard to see the film mogul’s words as actual policy.

The 26-year-old Uruguayan, who has scored 78 league goals since moving to Napoli three years ago, is currently on national team duty in Brazil, where La Celeste will face Brazil on Wednesday in the Confederations Cup semifinals. Though he’s not scheduled to rejoin his club until late next month, Cavani’s owner is hoping a there’ll be a resolution to his transfer saga before he’s due back in Italy.

De Laurentiis, as told to Radio Rai and distributed by Marca:

“I trust in Cavani, I think that he’s a good man and he has the opportunity to prove it by staying at Napoli.”

“I think that the Cavani ‘soap opera’ will come to an end on 20th July, which is when he returns from the Confederations Cup. If it doesn’t, I’ll rip his head off,” Aurelio De Laurentiis said laughing.

“Does anyone think that I’ll let Cavani leave on 10th August, with the league campaign about to kick off?”

Nice, fun banter, but between the lines, we can discern a few things. First, Cavani is not only for sale (or, buyout) but he has sufficient interest to necessitate a decision. Second, the decision is his, with De Laurentiis implying the club will have to abide by the Uruguayan’s choice. Third, with his “good man” comment, De Laurentiis isn’t above a little gamesmanship, perhaps resorting to some new tactics as he loses traction in the ‘soap opera.’

Cavani’s been linked most prominently with Real Madrid, but Chelsea and Manchester City are also in the picture. Paris Saint-Germain’s link has gotten some ink, and it’s surprising the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Monaco haven’t also commandeered a few more electrons. Cavani’s a world-class striker with a work rate that would allow him to meld into any team.

Over the next four weeks, Cavani will likely get to choose between Madrid, London, and Manchester. And if he doesn’t, an old Italian movie producer’s going to try to tear his head off.

Wenger was content enough with the result, as he continued to be in the chorus of managers who lament the congested Premier League schedule around the holidays. From the BBC:

“We had so much of the ball, but it was very frustrating because we could even have lost it at the end. They’re happy to defend, they did that against Chelsea and Manchester City, so we couldn’t find the opening and the few chances we had we missed.

…

“When you play every three days, you lose your sharpness.”

That’s true, and to his credit Wenger didn’t try to say West Ham had one day’s more rest (which they did). As Man City runs away with the league and Manchester United doesn’t look fit to drop back to the back, the race for the final two Top Four spots is as congested as the schedule. Arsenal needs to turn some of its shot-heavy performances into goal-heavy cruises sometime soon.

The Manchester United manager says that’s not on account of emotions or let down, but simply the volume of matches his Red Devils have played and the extra rest afford the visitors.

Romelu Lukaku climbed Nathan Ake to find United its opener, and the hosts were defending plenty in the second half. But United was able to endure on a soggy night at home, and maintain its place second on the Premier League table.

“Fatigue, yes, but hangover – no. The game was a big one, and a defeat does not help in your recovery – victories help, defeats don’t. They were difficult opponents and difficult conditions. If we had scored the second it would have been a calm night for us.”

That said, this felt like one of the matches United would’ve drawn last season, and Lukaku was a difference maker as were David De Gea and Phil Jones at the back.

And Mourinho would not mail in the title race despite Man City’s 11-point advantage and continued league dominance.

“It is only over in May, if it is over now I go on holiday to Brazil or Los Angeles.”

On Wednesday they set a new Premier League and English top-flight record for the most consecutive wins in history, with City winning 4-0 away at Swansea to seal their 15th-straight win and stay 11 points clear of the table.

City beat Arsenal’s previous record of 14-straight wins in the Premier League from February to August 2002, and now they remain unbeaten with 17 games of the season gone.

Guardiola now holds the record for most consecutive wins in the top-flight of Spanish, German and English soccer with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City respectively. He’s a machine and he’s turned Man City into one.

Speaking to the BBC after beat Swansea, Guardiola was delighted with the win, especially coming so soon after the energy-sapping Manchester derby win at Manchester United on Sunday.

“Considering we have a lot of games in our legs, a demanding game at Old Trafford three days ago, we were solid, we were serious and we made a good performance,” Guardiola said. “You suffer and enjoy, like a manager you see many things. When the team play good we are happy. Our feeling – we understand what we want to do. We play good inside, outside. I’m so happy for David (Silva), we cannot disguise his quality but in the past he didn’t score too much goals. He’s sharp, he’s in an amazing condition.”

15 – Manchester City have set a new outright record of 15 consecutive wins in the English top-flight, overtaking Arsenal's 14-game run between February & August 2002. Sensational. pic.twitter.com/5AyaetsO2n

Man City’s manager rightly pointed towards David Silva‘s brilliance as the Spanish playmaker scored twice at Swansea and he’s now scored four times in his last three games, including a late winner against West Ham and setting City on their way to a win at United on Sunday.

With the record now in hand and Man City also stretching their club-record unbeaten run in the top-flight to 25 games, is there a risk his side will be complacent as the bookmakers have slashed their PL title odds to 1/25?

“That is not going to happen. We are so demanding for our players. We can lose, we can drop points but complacency, never happened in the past, the present or the future,” Guardiola said. “Winning 15 games in a row gives us a lot of confidence. If people are happy watching us that is the best gift.”

Ahead of the festive season, Man City are the gift which keep on giving and they have to be up their with the best teams English soccer has ever seen.

Less than halfway through the 2017-18 season they show no signs of slowing down and the Premier League title is simply theirs to lose.

More records will fall this season as an imperious, attacking unit has been fine-tuned by Guardiola. We are watching history being made in beautiful fashion.